Bottle dispensing apparatus



Oct. 1, 1946. L. D, .5EN S- 2,408,380

BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1945 I .sm mm m. mg by m 13% B Patented Oct. 1, i946 BOTTLE DISPENSING APPARATUS .Lutlier D.

mesne assignments, to PortableElevator Dennis, Comanche, Okla... assignor; by

00., Bloomington, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationlJuly 26, 1943, Serial'No. 496,205

1 ciaim. (01. 312-48) In accordance'with my invention the dispensing apparatus comprises a, plurality "of've'r'tically disposed oppositely inclined tiers each including a plurality of bottle delivering chutes, and means whereby bottles'are fed first of each tier to adelivery point, after'which they are fed from the next lowerchute, tli'e'n from the chute below that until all the bottles are dispensed.-

Another feature comprises the use of vertical chutesin connection with the inclined chutes, and deflecting means to insure smooth passage from an upper inclined chute'to an adjacent vertical 1 from the vertical bottom --of an upper vertical chuteinto the entrance to an adjacent inclined chute.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus capable of holding a relatively large number of bottles and which will be very desirable at Army camps and at other places where considerable quantities of soft drinks are consumed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a dispenser of this sort capable of holding a large amount of bottled drinks, and including an arrangement of parts whereby the bottled drinks or beverages will be positively delivered one at a time without jamming and without stopping the dispenser.

A further and important object of the invention is the provision of improved tracking means which engages only the smooth outer surfaces of the bottles being dispensed, so that the bottles may roll to the delivery point without vibration, jolting or jostling.

The invention also includes a simple mechanism whereby a bottled drink may be delivered by simply depositing a suitable coin into a coin chute, without the manipulation of any lever, plunger or the like by the purchaser. Another convenience embodied in the invention is that the bottled drinks are delivered bottom first, ready to be picked up by the purchaser.

The invention will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and in the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View showing a section of the dispenser which is contained in a housing (not shown);

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the dispenser shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail end elevational view in part, showing the trackway and delivery gate from the upper chute chute communicating therewith, and

for feeding-the bottled drinksto a delivery point; Fig. 4=is an enlarged perspective'view,partially brokenaway, showing'the trackway and delivery gate; 7 1' Inthe drawing is shown a section or compartment 50, of which there may be a plurality, suitably located in a, housing (not shown) andan air circulating means (not shown), and accessible byway of a usual refrigerator door (not shown) As'shown in Fig. 1, each section or compartment preferably includes'a plurality of vertically superposed and oppositely inclined'tiers, each including a plurality of bottle dispensing chutes or trays. The trays l-are-provided with side pieces or flangesZ and are. secured to the spaced uprights 3, the latter having secured thereto a front and a rear wall 3a against which the bottles engage alternately in their downward travel. One of these trays is shown in part in Fig. 4, and it will be noted that its lower inclined end has swingably secured thereto a depending gate 5 having a projecting ear 6, the purpose of which gate and ear will be explained hereinafter.

The opposite ends of each tray abut the walls of the front and rear uprights 3, as shown in Fig. 1. All of the trays are filled with bottled drinks; however, only a suificient number'of bottles are shown to make their mode of downward travel apparent. The bottles in full lines indicate the course of movement from the uppermost tray to the last or delivery tray. The bottles indicated in dotted lines are thus allowed to pass automatically the gates 5 as a section is being emptied. As shown in Fig. 2, to prevent the bottles remaining in a stacked position against the vertical chutes provided adjacent the walls of the uprights 3, there are provided inclined strips 6a connected to and disposed at an angle between the walls 30, and the trays I. By this arrangement the bottles indicated at 4b (Figs. 1 and 2), on striking this strip, are directed or deflected from a vertical stacked position and thus prevented from remaining stacked or locked against downward movement.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are shown a plurality of spaced parallel strips 1, 8, 9 and I0, and as shown in Fig. 3, these strips maintain the bottle '4, indicated in dotted lines, in a horizontal position. In the case of a bottle which has roughened outer surfaces caused by lettering, designs or the like, made into the material of which the bottle is formed, these strips may be shifted or placed in such spaced relation as to contact only the smooth part of the bottle. This will prevent the bottle from being jolted, vibrated or jostled as it rolls downwardly to a point of delivery. This arrangement will also prevent any dirt, grease or other matter which might be on a bottle from interfering with its free downward movement.

There are also provided in the construction of the dispenser several curved strips II for the purpose of directing the bottles from a horizontal downwardly rolling position to a vertical downwardly moving position. As the bottles move down the slanting or inclined trays they have a tendency to rise slightly at the end of the tray against the walls 3a as they drop vertically to the next tray. The bottles would also have a tendency to buckle and get out of the line :of axial pressure in the downward delivery, and for this purpose there is provided a strip Ila which is fastened in any suitable manner, as by the pieces lie, to the curved strips II, and to the trays and just above the line of traveling bottles. In this manner of construction the bottles cannot get out of line or buckle andso throw-the entire delivery line out of order.

At the delivery end of a section of trays is a coin operated means M--l520 for allowing a bottle to be released from the dispenser. As the foremost bottle rolls downwardly it comes into contact with a part of this control means to hold the entire line of bottles, indicated at 4, from rolling off at the delivery end. This means has a ratchet wheel l4, and a pawl l5. This construction prevents .the escape of the bottles .until the pawl is released, as by way of a. solenoid 20 which is energized when a coin inserted in the machine, the solenoid 20 being connected .in a suitable circuit (not shown) for successive tiers being instance on thetop line of bottles onthe uppermost tray, has passed. The released pressure then permits the gate to move, allowing the next line of bottles to commence feeding into the delivery line. The ear 6 on the gate 5 bears against the end of the lower tray and prevents the gate from being moved inwardly while the delivery line :of bottles are being delivered.

-Wh-ile the disclosure depicts a practical, operable and efficient structure as embodied in a dispenser of this character, it is obvious that the invention is susceptible of modifications, changes and alterations, in keeping with the inventive thought and :such as might. be said to fall fairly within the scope and meaning of the claim'appended hereto.

I-claim:

Ina bottle dispensing apparatus, a bottle compartment comprising -.a plurality of tiers of bottle dispensing chutes arranged one above the other, oppositely inclined, each tier including a plurality of parallel bottle chutes, the lowest chute of each upper tier communicah ing at its lower end with the upper end of the uppermost chute of the tier beneath, and a vertical chute connecting the lower ends of the chutes of each upper tier with the upper end of the upper chute in the tier below.

LUTHER D. DENNIS. 

